Skylight construction.



J. D. THOMPSON.

SKYLIGHT CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913;

avwzntoz 2 SHEETSSHBET l.

J. D. THOMPSUN.

SKYLIGHT CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED JAN.18, 1912.

Patented Oct. 14, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Suva/14 501 Jfi/ferfamfl 777017301022 rr era JAE T citric JEFFERSON n. 'i no'ivirson, or WASHINGTON, m's'riircr or continue.

KYLIGHT oonsrnucrron.

' Specification of Letters I ate'nt.

. Patented ca; 14,1913.

Application filed January 18, 1912. Serial No. 671,809. I

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, JEFFERSON D. TnoM'rson, a citizen of the United States, residing lea-king.

provided with longitudinal gutters which,

overlap in the manner of shingles and the astraga-ls are upheld or carried on metal or concrete supports or purlins' running transversely of the astragals, and connected yieldingly thereto in such manner that any deflection-of the roof from a plane, due to unequal expansion of the purlins or astragals, or bowmg of the purlin either upwardly or downwardly, in whole or inpart will be compensated by the novel formation of the astragals and their attachment to the purlins, thus relieving the glass plates and their joints from; all strain, insuring the integrity of the glass and the joints from Furthermore the a'stragals arev in connection witlrsuitably placed cross gutters, carr off all water of condensation from the un er surface of the glass and any possible leakage from without due to some defect in the parts or carelessness in their erection.

, With these and other objects in view the invention consistsin the novel. construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described in detail and pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1- is a sectional view of a portion of a glazed roof or skylight showing in elevation an astragal section at theeaves ol the roof and a portion of the overlappingastragal section next above. Fig. 2 1s a sectional view on the line 22 of- Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. 'Fig. 3 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view through the telescopic ends of two astragal sections enlarged. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of opposite ends of-two interengagmg or. telescopic astragal sections. Fig. 5' is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the glass plates and cap pieces removed. Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5.

In the drawings, wherein'like reference characters are used to designate like parts in all the figures, A indicates a portion of an astragal extending from the ridge to the caves of a robf and supported at suitable intervals by transverse purlins B of channel, I, or other shape. Each astragal. is formed of a plurality of relatively short sections 10 fastened each at its" upper end to a purlin by a clip or chair 11, and slidably mounted at its lower end in a similar clip fastened to the next lower purlin B. The lower end. of each section. 10 projects over or overla s the upper end of the next lower section su ciently far to permit. contraction of each,

section without possibility of theirendwise separation.

The sections 10 of the as'tragals are similar to one another and a descri tion of one will serve for all. Each section 10 comprises. two members, each member being formed of sheet metal, preferably lead coat.- ed steel, bent to shape and rigidly connected to each other; One of said members 12, made of a metal strip, is doubled upon itself centrally and longitudinally into close contact to form an upstanding web 13. ,At a suitable distance below the fold 13, the sides of the folded strip are bent outwardly in opposite directions in a common plane,

perpendicular to this web 13', as at 14, and

then bent upwardly preferably at obtuse angles to form the outer sides 15 of gutters 16. The other member 17 of the section 10 is also made of a strip of metal cen trally and longitudinally bent upon. itself to form an open web 18 that fits snugly over the webv 13, the two members being rigidly fastened by bolts, screws or rivets 19. suitable distance belowthe fold 18 ,the two sides 20 of the member 17 are bent upward in semi-circular shape to form two gutters 21 narrower than the gutters 16 and? on a higher plane. Their outer sides, formed by the sides. 20, after being carried to a sufficient height areagain. given semi-circular outward turns toform curved-supports or seats 22 for longitudinal glazing cushions or strips 23 of soft metal, aslead.

-. To permit the telescopic connection or overlapping of the upper end of one section by the lower 'end of the section lO above it, the web 13 of the upper end of each -member 12 is cut entirely away for a sufficient distance from the upper end of the section '10, as is also a portion of the web 18 of the member. 17, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. At the lower end of eachsection 10 the member 17 does not extend to the lower end of the member 12 by a distance equal to the cutaway portion of the web 13 at the upper end. Before the members 12 and 17 of each section are fastened together several screw bolts 24 having pointed ends and elongated heads 25 are passed through holes in the fold 18 of the member 17 and held in upright position by the elongated heads fitting tightly between the folds 13 and 18, see Figs. 2 and 3.

The clip or chair 11 which holds the upper end of a section 10 has a tongue 26 riveted .on the upper surfaces of the parts 14 where the rib 13 is cut away, thereby holding said parts together. A finger 27 projects below ,the tongue 26 and under a purlin B to which it is fastened by a bolt 28 as indicated. The

- clip or chair 11 has .a flattened surface or seat 29 at a higher elevation than the tongue 26 on which the lower end of the gutters 16 of the next section 10 above rests and slides as the section expands and contracts. To hold the sections in proper relation to .each other, an upwardly inclined guide arm 30 extends from each side of the clip close against the outer sides 15 of the gutters 16, said arms terminating each in a book 31 to loosely. embrace the edges of said outer sides 15.

nel bar, are clips or chairs 11. similar to the clips or chairs 11 spaced the desired distance apart. A section 10 is then inserted in each clip 11" from above, and slides downward until the clip 11 on the upper end of the section catches by its finger 27 the purlin B next above the cave purlin. Tightening of the bolt 28 fastens the section 10 in place. The sections 10 next above have their lower ends slid into the fixed chair or clips 11 on the sections below, until like chairs 11 on the upper ends of the upper sections engage another purlin ,B to which they are fastened by the bolts 28. This assembling of sections is continued until the astragals, parallel to one another' are completed from caves to ridge of roo It is to be noted that the seat 29 on thechair 11 over which the clip into place, the web 13 of the member l2'of the same sectidn passes between the cut down sides 20 of the open web 18 of the sections.

The lower or eave sections '10'diifer slightly from the other sections by having the lower ends of its members 17 coincident with the like ends of the members 12, see Fig. 1. These ends project over the eave purlin B and are closed by a cross plate 32 carrying a cross gutter 33 beneath the outer ends of the sections 10 into which flows the water of condensation from the section gutters 16 and 21. .The cross gutter 33 has perforations 34 in its bottom for the escape of water. The upper edge of the cross plate 32 is folded inwardly to form a downwardly flanged shelf 35 and a stop 36 for apurpose presently to be described.

After erecting the astragals A, or while erecting them and as quickly as lateral alined sections are secured to the purlins,

soft metal cushions or strips 23 are placed on the curved supports 22 to receive the plates of glass 37 of a length equal to the sections 10 and about as wide as the distance between the webs 18 of laterally adjacent sections. The side edges of the glass plates extend beyond the cushions or glazing strips 23 nearly to the webs 18 and over the gutters 21, so that any water'dropping from these edges will be caught in gutters and car- Before placing the glass plates in position a pair of cross gutters 38 formed on the side edges of a flat strip 39 having an upstanding flange 40 is first placed on the glazing strips below the upper end of the glass plate. The cross gutters 38 are sufiiciently long to project at their ends over the gutters 1'6 and drain into them any water of condensation or leakage received by the cross. gutters. The strip 39 and its flange 40 project beyond the ends. of the cross gutters and lie on the glazing strips, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. After positioning the cross gutters, the glass plate 37 is put in place with its upper edge against the flange and sufiicient pressure applied to the glass which forces the ends of the strips 39 into the sharp edges of the soft cushion 23 and seats the lass water-tight o-n said sharp edges.

A ter setting the first glass'o'r the first row of glass plates which are the lowermost or nearest eaves, and which are prevented from sliding down the soft metal cushions or glazing strips 23 and off the roof by the shelves 35 and the stops 36, the next row of glass plates will then be set in position. Because the lower ends of the sections 10 next above overlap the upper ends of the lower sections and are in a higher position,

the lower ends of the glass plates carried by these upper sections, which are of the same length as said sections, overlap the lower glass .plates, leaving spaces therebetween, which space between each pair of plates is closed against the entrance of rain by spring metal packing 41 forming part of a supporting member 42 for the lower end of the upper glass.

The supporting member and spring packing is preferabl made of a strip of thin sheet metal having suflicient resiliency for the purpose and of a length about equal to the istance between two webs 13. The resilient sheet is doubled sharply upon itself from end to end, after which the folded edge is turned at a right angle :to the support 42 to form a stop 43 that prevents the glass slipping downward. The free ed es of the supporting member are folded under said member to form the two spring packing tongues 41, one in advance of the other,;

which extend from one edge of the glass to the other, and upon pressing upon the upper surface of the lower glass prevent rain en-.

tering between the plates of glass. The supporting members 42 are positioned and carried to hold in proper relation the associated glass plates, by brackets 44 riveted onopposite sides of each web 13 at its extreme lower end, a suitable distance below its fold 13. Each bracket 44 is here shown as made of sheet metal folded in such manner that two thicknesses lie against the web 13 and are riveted thereto, one thickness pro 'ecting out wardly from the web to forms, d on which is placed one end of a supporting member 42, while from the lower edge of the shelf in line with the end of the web 13 is. an upstanding flange 46 against which the; I .fiexible portions of never more than two secstop 43 of the supporting member rests.

After the plates of glass 37 have been placed in position and supported as described, they are held in place by cap-pieces 47 straddlin the webs 13 and 1? from end to end and astened by nuts 48 screwed on the bolts 24 which pass through openings in the top of the cap pieces. The cap pieces are made of sheet metal, bent into shape with fiat tops and straight spreading sides, the lower edge of each side having attached thereto a strip of thin soft metal 49, as lead, which is pressed flat on the glass, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and '2, and forms a tight packing which dprevents water running under'the cap an around the side edges of the glass. Each cap-piece, except those at the eaves, projects a short distance beyond the lower edges of the glass plates which it.

at shelf 45 folding the metal forming the cap-piece perpendicular to its sides, see Fig. 2, and, if desired, soldering the folded portions. The lead strips 49 which project beyond the glass are bent downward approximately perpendicular, and contact with the lead strips projecting from the underlying cap-piece. An end clip 50 is riveted or otherwise fastened to the lower end of each cap-piece at the eaves of the roof, which projects downwardly over the cross plate 32 and assists in holding the same in position against the strain of the plates of glass supported on the shelf 35 formin a part of said plate.

A glazed roo or skylight constructed as above described is a great im rovement over all similar structures hereto ore known, in that its flexibility is such that the parts readily yield under all strains to which they telescopically or s -1dably connected by loose joints only, expansion and contraction of the astragals, which sometimes are quitelong, is in each instance divided between a number of relatively short sections, the molecular movement of each of which sections under varying temperatures is comparatively short. The telescopic connections between the astragal sections are urposely made loose or free to permit independent movement of the sections with res ect to one another should the purlins are or bend from temperature or other causes, settling of the walls of the building and other strains placed upon the astragals. All movements of the section will take place without straining the joints because of the loose connection of one section with another. No strain is placed on the glass because each plate of :glass is supported at its side edges on soft metal cushions or glazing strips carried on Itions laterally in line, and 7 held on said cushion-s by individual flexible caps bearing on the glass immediately over the cushions, packing strips, preferably of soft metal, being interposed between the lass and the bearing edges of the caps. T e upper and lower ends of each glass plate rest on cross strips carried by the same sections that support the glass. There being no rigid connections between any plate .of glass and its metal supports, slight movements of the later may take place without straining sald lass. Neither can there be any strain on t e glass when the sections move relatively below and here they are separated by a packing that forms primarily, a means for preventing rain being driven between the overlapping ends of the plates of glass. As this packing is a resilient one, the space between the glass plates will remain closed whether the plates of glass are separated or brought closer together.

Leakage is prevented at the ends of the plates of glass by the soft metal packing on the cap-pieces which lies some distance within the edges .of 'the plates and hugs closely to the surfaces thereof. Should however any water pass under the packing it would drop from the edge or edges of the glass into the gutters 21 of the sections and run down them into the cross gutters 33 at the eaves.

The cross strips 39 which support the upper ends of the plates of glass have a gutter on each edge, parallel with the strips,

- lins, each astragal being formed of a num- 4 the free slidable end of an astragal section.-

' tions, and a clip or chair secured .on one end her of sections fastened at their upper ends each to a purlinv and slidable freely at their lower end within the upper ends of the sections below.

2. In a skylight construction, the combination with a plurality of purlins, of a plurality of astragals supported on said purlins, each astragal being formed of a number of sections'fastened at their upper ends each to a purlin and slidable freely at their lower ends within the upper ends of the sections below, and chairs or clips secured to the upper ends of the sections and to the purlins, each chair in position to support 31 In a skylight construction, the combination with a plurality of purlins, of a plurality of astragals supported on said pur-' lins, each astragal being formed of a number of sections each slidable freely at their lower ends within the upper ends of the sections below, a chair or clip fixed on the upper end of each section having a seat supporting the free end of the section above, and means for fastening the chairs to the purlins. 1

. 4. In a-skylight construction, the combi nation witha plurality of purlins, of a plurality of astragals supported upon said purlins, each astragal comprising a plurality of overlapping indepen ently movable secof each section and fastened to a purlin, each chair having a seat for the free overlapping end of the adjacent section.

5; In a skylight construction, the combination of a plurality of purlins, of a plurality of astragals supported on said purlins, each astragal comprising a number of overlapping independently movable sections, a clip or chair secured on the upper end of each section and fastened to a purlin, each chair-havin the free lower en'do the overlappingsection may slide longitudinally and rock in a vertical plane, plates of glass each yield-' a seat within which.

ingly supported at its side edges by a section of adjacent astragals and free to move and rock with said sections independently,

of other sections and plates, and means for holding the plates on the supporting sections.

6. An astragal for skylights constructed of a plurality of flexibly connected sections overlapping one another at their ends, and

a clip or chair on the upper end of each section for rigidly connecting said end to a fixed part of a structure to be covered, said chair having a seat to slidably support the free overlapping end of the section above.

7. An astragal for skylights constructed of a plurality of overlapping sections, and means secured on the upper end of each section by which it is rigidly connected to a fixed part of a structure to be covered, said means each having a seat to slidably support the lower free overlapping end of a section next above.

8. An astragal for skylights constructed of a plurality of flexibly connected overlapping sections, and a clip or chair secured to the upper end of each section for rigidly connecting said end to a fixed part of a structure to be covered, said clips or chairs each having an elevated ide or seat to slidably support'the lower ree end of an overlapping section above the fixed end of the section next below.

v9. An astragal for skylights constructed of a plurality of flexibly connected sections,

each section comprising an upper member and a lower member, each made of resilient sheet metal with a central web and a tter on each side of the same, said webs eing interconnected, the gutters on each upper member forming yielding supports each for one edge of a separate skylight glass, and

a clip or chair having an elevated guide attached to the upper end of each lower member of a section for rigidly securing said section at one end only to afixed part, the

opposite free end of said lower member being slidably supported on the elevated guide of the clip or chairholding the section next below and overlapping the lower memberof said section.

10. Astragals for skylights each constructed of a plurality of flexibly connect ed overlapping sections, each section comprising an upper member and a lower member made of resilient sheet metal with a central web and a gutter on each side of the same, said webs being interconnected and fastened together, the facing upper gutters of coordinate sections of two astragals forming yielding supports for the sides of a skylight glass, and a clip or chair attached to the upper end of each section to secure "the same to some fixed part, said clips or chairs each. having a seat to support thefree lower end of the section next above, whereby each section and the glass plate supported thereon may move independently of other sections and glass plates.

11. An astragal for skylights constructed of a plurality of sections fixed at their up per ends and at their movable lower ends overlapping the fixed ends of the sections next below, each section comprising an upper member and a lower member each having a central web and a gutter on each side of the same, said webs being interengaged and fastened together, the facing upper gutters of coordinate sections of two astragals forming yielding supports for the side edges of a skylight glass, the lower member of each section projecting beyond the' upper member at one end and having a shorter web at the opposite end, a bracket on each side of the projecting web of the lower member at its end, a support for the lower edge of the skylight glass carried by saidbrackets and a clip or chair fastened to the lower member at its upper end for connecting said section to a fixed part, said clip or chair having an elevated guide for the end of the "overlapping section.

12. An astragal for skylights constructed of a plurality of sections fixed at their upper ends, thelr lower movable ends overlapping the fixed ends of the sections next below, means on each section for supporting the side edges of two plates of glass overlapping but disconnected from like plates of glass supported by the sections next below, spring packing between the overlapping plates of glass, and a bracket on both sides of the. lower end of each section for supporting the ends of the s ring packing.

13. An astragal for skylig tscomprising a plurality of sections, and a clip or chair secured on one end of each section having means for rigidly connecting it to a fixed part of a roof and provided with a seat for the overlapping free end of anothersection adapted to slide longitudinallytherein and rock vertically with relation thereto.

14. An astragal for skylights comprising a plurality of overlapping sections, means secured on the upper end of each section 'for rigidly fastening said end to a fixed support, and having a seat on which the free overlapping lower end of the section next above may slide and rock, and'means on each section for supporting one edge of a pair of glazing plates.

15. In a sect-'onal astragal for skylights, means for immovably securing one en dot each section, said means comprising'a clip rigidly fastened to one end of eachsection,

and having a finger for securing the clip to a fixed part, an elevated sup-port, and an arm projecting above each end of said sup- I port terminating in a hook;

16. A glazed structure comprising an astragal made of a plurality oftelescopically connected sections, a supporting medium for each end of each section, a pane of glass on each section and a cap on each pane of glass, said sections each having telescopic enqagement at one end with a supporting me ium.

.17. A glazed structure comprising an astragal made of at plurality of telescopically connected sections, supporting mediums for said sections at their opposite ends, a pane of glass on each section, and a cap on each pane of glass, each section being firmly attached to one of its supporting mediums and telescopically engaging the other.

18. A glazed structure comprising an astrag al made of a plurality of telescopically connected sections, each section being sup-;

pane of glass on each section, and a cap on each pane of glass.

19. A glazed structure comprising rigid v frame-work, an astragal made of a plurality of overlapping slidably connected sections, a supporting medium firmly attached to a corresponding end of each section and to said frame-work and provided with a seat for the opposite sliding end of the ad acent overlapping section, a pane of glass on each section, and a cap on each pane of glass.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnessesz J. GRANVILLE Mar-ans, Gnaruunn M. Sruoxnn.

JEFFERSON n. THOMPSON. 

